Chapter 36 Elliot
ELLIOT
Daniel was still asleep when I snuck out of bed.
Last night, he’d asked me to wake him up so he could join me on my run, but after the week he’d had at work, I thought letting him sleep would be better. Besides, we could always go for another jog in the evening.
Quietly, I walked to our bathroom, already knowing the way despite my eyes being half-closed. But living here for the last six months, I had the same routine every morning and could do it in my sleep.
First, I turned on the shower, letting the water get warm while I pulled my scale from the cabinet where I kept it.
Holding my breath, I stepped on it. Fear always gripped me in those moments, but as soon as I saw the number I wanted, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Putting the scale back in its place, I popped in for a quick wash.
I loved the water pressure here, but what I loved even more was that I knew what to expect—how soft the towels would feel once I stepped out of the shower, how my cologne would be placed right next to Daniel’s, and how my clothes would be neatly folded in the huge closet he’d gotten me.
I realized how significant those small details were whenever I had to fly away for work.
Although working for Renieri significantly reduced my travels, it didn’t eliminate them.
But now, preparing for their annual gala, there were no trips planned.
That was, other than the holiday Daniel had told me about last night.
Getting out of the shower, I thought back on the moment he handed me those first-class tickets to Bora Bora.
We’d only be going next month, but I was already excited.
I knew he said it was for my birthday, but I told myself it was also a way to celebrate his divorce finally being official.
Was it a bit mean of me? Probably, but I couldn’t pretend that knowing he was officially divorced didn’t make me happy.
Done with my shower, it was now time for my dental routine.
To keep my teeth as healthy as possible, I first brushed, then flossed, before using my mint mouthwash.
I hate having bad breath above all. Once done, I flashed the mirror a big, toothy smile, then looked at the rest of me.
Lately, I was really proud of the veins that traveled along my arms. I worked hard to look this fit, and at last, all that sweat paid off.
But with a whole week of work awaiting me, I couldn’t get cocky over a few veins and visible collarbones and quickly got my ass moving.
After grabbing my new iPod, which Daniel had bought me, even though I told him not to, I was ready to go.
Yet before sneaking out of our bedroom, I stole one more glance at him asleep.
He seemed so calm and relaxed, and if I didn’t have twenty kilometers to run, I would have stayed and watched him until the sun rose.
Oh, well.
The street was quiet when I stepped outside, with the only person there being our doorman, Richard, who’d just wished me a good morning.
I often wondered if he had his suspicions about Daniel and me.
And not just him, but other people we frequently met, like the lady in the cheese delicatessen, or the waiter in that Chinese restaurant Daniel loved so much, even Matilda, who cleaned our house twice a week.
But those were just silly thoughts that tended to occupy my brain, and to silence them, I put on my headphones and hit Play.
I started running along to the first track, trying to focus on my pace and breathing.
With each kilometer I completed, the sun got higher in the sky, its warmth reminding me that summer was almost here.
I’ve hated winter ever since I was a kid, and my first year in New York made me hate it even more.
But spending those last cold months cuddled up next to Daniel made me warm up to this season, as the nights we spent together heating each other up were truly worth remembering.
Without noticing, I dove deep into those fresh memories, like that one rainy Saturday we spent watching old movies.
Daniel called them classic, while I just thought they were old.
But then again, any movie with Clint Eastwood was worth watching.
Around the middle of my run, I stopped for some water at a drinking fountain.
After taking a few sips, I wiped my lips with the back of my hand and looked around the park.
Now, with the sun up in the sky, there were a lot more people out.
A pregnant lady just jogged past me, and my eyes followed her until they switched to look at a man with a red hat running with his dog, then to an old man feeding doves, then to— I paused when I noticed a man dressed in a black tracksuit staring at me from behind some bushes.
Or at least, I thought he was, because a moment later, he went back to his run.
Not thinking anything of it, I shrugged and went back to finish my own jog, hoping to catch Daniel before he went out to work.
The rest of my run went smoothly, and now dripping with sweat, I got back to our building.
“Bonjour, Richard,” I greeted our doorman.
“Good morning, Mr. Dufort.” He tipped his hat up.
I love it when he does that, just like in the movies.
“A lovely day for a run, isn’t it?” he said while holding the door open for me.
Not wanting to be rude and walk straight in, I stopped and turned to look at the street.
“It is. Very warm, too,” I said, looking around the street. It truly was a gorgeous day, with the sun up in the sky and the trees greener than ever. My brows furrowed when suddenly, I spotted that jogger from the park walking down the street.
Could it be a coincidence?
“I need to go, Richard. You have good day,” I said and, without lingering, went inside the building.
I went straight for the elevator, relieved when it arrived fast. But even after I’d gotten inside it and was all alone, I couldn’t shake this awful feeling off, like I was being watched.
I’d had paparazzi following me before, but typically only around big shows, never out of the blue like today.
Sure, I was a supermodel, but being a man in this industry was completely different from being a woman.
Not only did I earn about half of what my female colleagues made, but tabloids also cared less.
Therefore, I was very rarely photographed all by myself, which came in handy, considering Daniel’s and my relationship.
Not to mention that the man from the park, whom I later saw on the street, didn’t even have a camera.
Could he be a stalker? Nah, there was no way, but what if he was sent to follow me by someone?
The alarming thought felt like a punch to the gut because if that were the case, Daniel would freak out.
With that thought in mind, I got out of the elevator and went straight to our condo.
For the first time in the last few months, I hoped Daniel had left for work, only so I wouldn’t have to face him. But as soon as I opened the door, I saw his keys and wallet were still there.
Merde.
“There you are,” Daniel said, fixing his tie in front of the large mirror as I entered our room.
Placing my iPod down, I forced a smile. “Here I am.”
“I thought we said we’d jog together.”
Trying to avoid his eyes, I went straight to our bathroom, kicking my shoes off on my way there.
“You seemed tired, so I thought I’d let you sleep.” I turned on the tap and quickly filled my palms with water before splashing it on my face. Somehow, I felt hot.
“How about tomorrow?”
I turned off the tap and turned to look at him.
“O-okay.”
A smile stretched on his lips before he walked over to me and kissed me.
“Are you feeling alright?” he asked.
“Yes, why?” My brows furrowed.
He cupped the back of my head. “You look a bit pale.”
Because someone followed me home.
I chewed on my bottom lip, debating whether I should tell him or not.
“Elli?” He caressed my cheek, clearly worried.
The kindness in his voice and the love in his eyes were too important for me to ruin by planting seeds of fear in him.
If he knew I was followed, he’d panic, and who knew what that would make him do?
I mean, I was still shocked he allowed me to live with him, with how frightened and cautious he’d been when we first met.
So should I risk it? Yes, Daniel was a kind man, but so was Jacques, until he wasn’t, as the fear of being outed was greater than his love.
And besides, nothing had actually happened.
I just saw a weird-looking man in a hideous jumper twice.
Coincidences happened all the time in this city, right?
And to be honest, exhausted from my run, I was probably just paranoid.
“I’m feeling great. Just need to shower,” I finally answered him with a smile. “Want to take off that tie and join me?”